A solo exhibition by the Estonian video artist. In Semper's videos, reality always appears in an exactly defined aesthetic framework. As a consequence, her work generates unexpected visual spectacles and refuses the documentary approach to reality found in the immediate reproduction of images in video and film production.
The Galerie Martin Janda is showing a solo exhibition by the Estonian video artist Ene-Liis Semper from March 31 to May 8, 2004. Ene-Liis
Semper first attained international acclaim with her video piece FF/Rew
(1998) for the Manifesta 3 (2000) in Ljubljana, a piece which was also
exhibited at the Biennial in Venice (2001). In this haunting black and
white video-loop the artist delivers spectacular insight into her
psyche. Again and again, the act of her own suicide is played forward
and backward. The absurdity of this inherently very simple video trick
lends the event a surreal character and transfers the tragic situation
to an inquiry into reality and fiction.
Ene-Liis Semper's work is based on and thematizes personal mental and
psychological experiences which she transfers to a universal level by
means of mental or physical actions. Her work is influenced by her
training in scenography at the Estonia Academy of Arts, which becomes
perceptible in the artist's changing between strategies of the theatre
and categories of the fine arts.
In Semper's videos, reality always appears in an exactly defined
aesthetic framework. As a consequence, her work generates unexpected
visual spectacles and refuses the documentary approach to reality found
in the immediate reproduction of images in video and film production.
In her solo exhibition at the Galerie Martin Janda, Ene-Liis Semper is
showing her films Oasis (1999), Stairs (2000) and Rabbit (2004)
Ene Liis Semper was born in 1969 in Tallinn, Estonia. Important
exhibitions:
2000 Borderline Syndrome, Manifesta3, European Biennial of
Contemporary Art, Ljubljana (SI)
2001 Oasis, Galerie der Stadt Schwaz (A); Begane Grond, Utrecht (NL)
2001 Plateau of Humankind, 49th International Art Exhibition Venice
Biennial, Italian Pavilion, Venice (I)
49th International Art Exhibition Venice Biennial, Estonian
participation at the exhibition, Levi Foundation, Venice (I)
2003 Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg (A)
Image: Ene-Liis Semper, Oasis, 1999. Courtesy Galerie Martin Janda, Vienna
Opening: Tuesday, March 30, 7 p.m.
Galerie Martin Janda
Raum aktueller Kunst
Eschenbachgasse 11
A-1010 Wien
Tues-Fri 1 p.m.-6 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
T +43/1/585 73 71
F +43/1/585 73 72